Participant Funding Program decision – Regulatory Oversight Report for Canadian Nuclear Laboratories Sites: 2022 and the mid-term update for Canadian Nuclear Laboratories' Chalk River Laboratories site

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) announced on March 16, 2023, that it was offering up to $75,000 under its Participant Funding Program (PFP) to assist Indigenous Nations and communities, members of the public and stakeholders in reviewing and in submitting comments in writing to the Commission on either or both of the following: CNSC staff’s Regulatory Oversight Report for Canadian Nuclear Laboratories Sites: 2022 and Canadian Nuclear Laboratories’ mid-term update on the Chalk River Laboratories site. Intervenors may ask to make an oral presentation to the Commission.

Background

The CNSC made participant funding available:

• for the provision of new, distinctive and valuable information to the Commission through informed and topic-specific interventions
• to assist interested parties in reviewing the report and in submitting written comments to the Commission

A funding review committee (FRC), independent of the CNSC, was established to review the funding applications received by the CNSC’s PFP administrator and to make recommendations on the allocation of up to $75,000 for eligible applicants.

The FRC members were:

• Yves Leboeuf, retired vice-president of operations, Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
• Kurt Saunders, retired director, Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency

On May 4, 2023, the FRC met to review the 5 PFP applications received, requesting a total of $110,373.73.

Eligibility and funding criteria

For more information on participant funding and how it works, including details on eligibility and funding criteria, please read the PFP guide.

CNSC participant funding decision

The CNSC carefully considered the FRC’s recommendations on the allocation of participant funding and approved the reimbursement of up to $76,328.76 to the following recipients:

Applicant	Maximum amount of available funding
Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation	$26,387.76
Manitoba Métis Federation	$22,352
Hiawatha First Nation	$15,169
Nuclear Transparency Project	$4,500
Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation	$7,920
TOTAL:	$76,328.76

*In addition, the CNSC awarded funding to Kebaowek First Nation to meet with CNSC staff to discuss the regulatory oversight report.

Additional information

Participant Funding Program Administrator, CNSC
Email: pfp@cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca